here's nbc news pentagon correspondent jim miklaszewski. >> reporter: for the past ten years, u.s. military women have served on the front lines in both iraq and afghanistan, but never allowed in direct ground combat roles. lifting the 20 year ban against women in combat will ultimately put them directly in the heat of battle. it opens some 237,000 combat positions to women. women will be assigned to roles communication, logistics and drivers. gradually, they'll work closer to battle as medics are. before they become infantry troops. women have paid the ultimate price of war. 152 u.s. military women have been killed in iraq and afghanistan. tammy duckworth lost both of her legs as an army helicopter pilot in iraq. she says lifting the ban will level the playing field. >> you can make it to a general, for example, without an arms combat command at the brigade or battalion level. and this allows them into half of that command time. >> reporter: at first, women would have to volunteer for combat duty and meet the same physical standards faced by men. >> well, it has to. the standard d